U of M Bars in DC/MD area

My girlfriend is coming to visit me labor day weekend and I just moved to Maryland. We both graduated from U of M and want to see the game and we thought it would be fun to go to a bar with other M fans. Does anyone know of any bars in the DC/MD area with a large M constituent? Thanks for your help!

We all went to Bailey's at Ballston, or Rock Bottom which are both in the Ballston mall. The alumni association puts up a banner and has a raffle and stuff each time, check the DC area alumni association website (and I'm not even an alum!) It's fun.

Funny story about Bailey's...they are notorious for poor service, which I didn't really experience the first few times and doesn't bother me that much when I'm there for four hrs for a football game.

BUT...the day of the Ohio State game, I arrive to find our normal spot in front of the projection screen filled with Buckeyes. I asked the server and she said they just showed up and sat there. Apparently Bailey's didn't value our weekly attendance enough to ask these people to sit somewhere else (the place is like an acre large).

Then they brought me the wrong beer, were late putting in my sandwich order, etc so I left zero dollars in tip and wrote a note on the receipt chastising the restaurant for allowing our rivals to claim-jump the good seats when they know they can count on us to spend hundreds of bucks each week when we watch UM football.

Apparently this struck a nerve, because a friend of mine used to work there years ago said she heard about my angry missive through the grapevine. Doesn't bother me - I wouldn't treat a regular customer that way in my business.

I don't know a thing about any of these places, this is just what a friend of me gave me a while back when I was thinking of going out to visit one weekend. Apparently the list is from some of last year's game watching parties.

These are all correct. I used to frequent the Pour House, but Cap Hill is out of the way, and we have now moved on to Buffalo Billiards. They have a room in the back for M fans and provide drink specials during games. We watch most of the football away games (I go back to A2 for the home games), basketball and hockey games there.

I watched the 2006 Um v. OSU game in DC (#1 v. #2). I contacted the alumni association and found a bar in the district called.... "The Pourhouse" I believe. It was packed to the roof with Michigan fans... we couldn't find a seat.... and that was 5 hours before kickoff.

Try that place.

P.S. - I ran into a guy there who was a fan of MGoBlog. It was a smaller MGoCommunity then. It was my first, but not last time talking MGoBlog with a fellow Michigan fan outside Michigan.

You can email the DC Alumni Club at [email protected] and get the latest pubs of choice. I was at the Pour House three years ago to watch a Minnesota game at night. Place was jammed, beer OK, food less than OK.

The Crystal City Sports Pub is fan friendly no matter the team. Four levels of tv's with the top floor being non-smoking.

I've lived across the street from the CCSP for three years. Aside from the plethora of HDTVs and the third floor Vegas-style odds boards, that place sucks. The food is overpriced and terrible. The beers will cost you an arm and leg, and they charge you for refills on pop.

I did, I work on the Patuxent River Naval Air Station which is actually in southern Maryland. I moved in March, and there isn't much in southern Maryland so we are willing to drive to take in the game. Where is your friend at?

I was in D.C. last fall and went to Buffalo Billiards. It was great. I went by myself (only in D.C. for a month, no other Mich fans) and people were really friendly and invited me to sit with them. It was a good time, but unfortunately I saw the Toledo game there so I'm a little averse to the place. Anyway, back in Chicago so I don't have to worry about it...

I lived in Maryland the past 2 football seasons and I'd go to Tommy Joe's in Bethesda. It's not too expensive and usually there'd be about 20-30 UM fans there watching for the regular games. The games against PSU and OSU brought out more fans.

Why dont you just check out each place and when you find which place you like more you can frequent there regularly.

I think it's been well-covered, but just to state definitively: The Pour House, formerly a Michigan bar, is now a Florida bar, whilst Buffalo Billiards, in Dupont Circle below a Baja Fresh (!) is now the best active DC Michigan bar.

I'm surprised no one has mentioned Kangaroo Boxing Club! Run by few alum and very Michigan-centric!http://kangarooboxingclub.com. It's in NW away from the hotspots downtown... Which frankly, is nice :0)